Lantern-rack.



R. WHITEMAN.

LANTERN RACK. APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1913.

Patented June 2, 1914 "Imam-nun] ammm ROBERT WHrrEMaN UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT WHITEMAN, OF WEST FINLEY, PENNSYLVANIA.

LANTERN BACK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT WVHITEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Finley, in the county of Washington and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lantern-Racks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in vehicle attachments, and more particularly to a lantern rack therefor, and my object is to provide a device of this character which is formed of a single strand of material which may be quickly and read ily applied to a vehicle or removed, when desired.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a rack which is designed to provide spring clamping jaws for ready application to a portion of the vehicle body, and a still further object resides in provid ing portions on the rack which are adapted to receive, respectively, the base and head portions of the lantern to securely retain the same in position.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing a device which is simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and one which will be very efficient and useful in operation.

W'ith these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this application, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device showing the same applied to use. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, showing a portion of the vehicle body in section. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the device, Fig. 4c is a plan view of the same; and Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view showing clearly the formation of the upper portion of the rack.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates a strand of wire which is looped intermediate of its ends to provide a pair of arms, and the loop is bent in a plane at right angles to the general plane of the arms, as shown at 2.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 14, 1913.

Patented J nne 2, 1914.

Serial No. 767,689.

The arms, at points adjacent the bent looped portion 2, are then bent upon themselves and disposed through the upwardly bent loop, and those portlons of the arms which are bentto extend above the portion immediately continuing from the loop, are bulged somewhat outwardly, as shown at 3. These upper and lower sections of the arms which are disposed one above the other in spaced relation, form a base or the like a, for the rack to receive therein the base or lower portion of a lantern. In order that this base portion may clamp tightly around the base portion of the lantern and be sprung in position therearound, the lower sections of the arms of this base converge forwardly, as is clearly shown in the drawing. The arms, after being disposed through the upwardly bent loop 2, continue upwardly, and at a point a short distance above said loop, are again bent inwardly, as shown at 5. Continuing from this bent portion 5, the arms are again bent to extend upwardly to form the vertical portions 6. Continuing from the upper ends of the vertical portions 6, the wire from both of the arms is coiled, as shown at 7, and then bent downwardly and again upwardly to form the clamping jaws or the like 8, which are disposed adjacent the vertical portions 6, but slightly spaced therefrom to cooperate with the latter. The wire continuing from the clamping jaws or the like 8, after being again coiled in alinement with the coils 7, is bent forwardly over the base lto form the arms 9 and the extreme free ends of the latter are bent to form hooks 10. These latter hooks are adapted to be engaged with the head portion of the lantern to lock the same in posit-ion after the base portion thereof has been engaged with. the base portion a of the rack.

In practice, the device is applied to the bed or body of a vehicle by engaging a portion of the latter between the arms 6 and the clamping jaws or arms 8, spring action being capable between said portions 6 and 8 in view of the formation of the device of spring wire. The base portion a of the device is then somewhat spread so that the eX- treme base of the lantern may be disposed between the arms thereof, and the upper portions 3 of said base l will clamp tightly around the base of the lantern and hold the same in position. The hooks 10 on the arms 9 are then forced downwardly for spring locking engagement with the under face of the head of the lantern, and said lantern under clamping action between the base and upper portions of the rack will be securely held in position in the latter.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided simple and inexpensive means for carrying out the objects of the invention, and while I have particularly described the elements best adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in the form, proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the principles of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, is:

1. A lantern rack formed from a single strand of wire looped and bent to provide a clamping base portion thereon, the wire continuing from said base portion being coiled and bent to provide spring clamping arms, said latter arms being disposed in a plane to one side of the base portion and adapted for engagement with a stationary object, the wire continuing from said clamping arms being bent over said base portion to provide additional spring arms, and hooks formed on the free ends of said spring arms and adapted to cooperate with the base portion in retaining an object therebetween.

2, A lantern rack formed from a single strand of wire looped and bent to provide a pair of double spring arms designed to form a base portion on the device, the upper sections of the double spring arms being bulged outwardly and disposed through the looped portion of the wire, the sections of the Wire continuing from said upper sectinuations of the last mentioned clamping arms, said additional spring clamping arms and the aforesaid base portion being adapted to retain an object therebet-ween.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afliX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT \VHITEMAN.

Witnesses:

JAMES W. STOLLAR, WILLIAM MILLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

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